What Does It Mean To Have A Happily Ever After?
by Iris-Reid92
Summary: Naomi is one of those affected by the Marriage Law. And like most...her marriage is less than favorable or pleasant. Severus X OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: To my lovely readers, subscribers, and reviewers. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except Naomi, Delila, and Charlotte.**

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Pain, that is all that was running through Naomi.

Both physical and emotional, she did not understand why she st

ill felt this way anymore. He didn't love her, she was just his trophy wife. And yet she still felt hurt everytime her husband, Severus came back home with a new woman on his arm every other night. And tonight was no different, she heard the front door slam shut and laughing coming from down stairs.

She had been reading a bedtime story to their 4 year old daughter Delila. In an effort to droun out the noises that were making their way up the stairs she closed, warded, and silenced the door. Naomi went to lay down next to her daughter and continue to read the story.

"Mommy, are you and daddy like the prince and princess of the story?" Delila asked sleepily.

Naomi just lay there not knowing how to answer her daughter. She wanted to say yes that she and her husband were like Belle and The Beast and that they were in love, and that little Delila was the result of such love. But no, Severus and Naomi are just one of many other people affected by the marriage law. Naomi is one of many muggleborns that were paired with purebloods and half-bloods to re-populate the wizarding world after the second wizarding war was won.

As she was about to give Delila an answer she looked down to see her fast asleep. Naomi couldn't help but smile at her small child.

'She is so innocent. For her to know about her father's 'activities' would destroy her,' thought Naomi sadly.

She got up from the bed and strechted. Moving to the door she made sure that the noises being made were far enough away from Delila's room for her to at least open the door wide enough for her to get out. She opened the door a little bit at a time and was relieved to hear the noises of her husband's current conquest and sex to be muffled by the closed door of the master bedroom.

As she passed the master bedroom she couldn't help but whimper at the noises of passion coming out knowing that she would never have. She kept moving towards her room trying (and failing) not to let the numbness and cold take hold of her. She sat on the bench in front of her bureau and just stared at her reflection. Now, Naomi is far from average looking...her eyes are a deep blue that they nearly resembled the ocean, her hair was this deep chestnut brown that if the sun were to hit it you would see the almost red wine-ish colored natural highlights. Her skin is pale, but not sickly and is as smooth as a baby's bottom. That's what body lotions do when you use them both properly and nearly every night. The natural rosy hues that covers her cheeks and lips made her look like a china doll.

Naomi did not see that.

During the beginnings of their marriage she went to extremes to make herself look appealing to him. But no matter what she put on whether it was high end lingerie, or lingerie that was literally bordering on whorish, or just plain nothing! Really! there were times when she would walk around the house naked to make him notice her even on a sexual level. But he was never affected by any of it. At first she thought he was gay but that changed when he started bringing home his conquests.

When that started she was angry of corse but what shook her was the demand that she make breakfast for said conquests in the morning. She had out right refused said demand and proceeded in kicking them out whenever he brought one home. She would stay up late sometimes well into the early hours of the morning waiting for him to get home sometimes he brought company sometimes he wouldn't. The times had gotten into physical fights (between the added company Severus was never physically abusive) was innumerable, Severus only yelled at her saying that they were the only release he had as a hot blooded man. She had scoffed at that and left to get some semblance of sleep. She stopped trying after it was clear Severus was not even remotely interested in her, and even went as low as to satiate her husband's whore's hunger in the morning.

You may be wondering how Delila was born since Severus' rule upon their wedding night was that they were to sleep in separate bedrooms. Well, all in all the marriage law demanded a child before the end of their second year of marriage.

The 'sex' was...well it was so bad that the word horrible is an understatement. Severus had taken an enhancement potion (if you get the my drift), he walked into her room did the deed and was out before morning light. Naomi new that consummation was inevitable but she didn't expect it to hurt as much as it did. And to think that she had loved him once boggled her to no end. She had been his student...it started in her sixth year. She had been enchanted by his voice and the way he carries himself. Those two qualities alone makes it clear that he demands respect.

Even though he had his 'Bat of the Dungeons' reputation she couldn't help but fall in love with the genius behind the grumpiness. On Valentines's day that same year and until they got married she would send him letters. The letters held her admiration for him, her personality (in case the list of candidates held something similar to what she wrote) and her want to know him no matter what.

Naomi laughed as she steadily came back to reality. She continued to brush her hair then finish her nightly routine. She spared a glance at the clock and the green lights told her it was past midnight. She went under the bed sheets hoping she wouldn't have to drink a sleeping draught to sleep tonight. She sighed and stared up at the empty ceiling, she wasn't going to go to sleep tonight. Eventhough she wanted to sleep she knew that if she got hooked on the sleeping draughts it would get problematic.

Sooner the rays of the sun started to illuminate her bedroom. Naomi didn't need to wake up, she hadn't slept a wink the night before. The clock read five thirty, the normal wake up time. She got up and went through her morning routine, undress, shower, brush teeth, make bed (against her house elf's protests) and get dressed. She had decided to wear a casual black robe chuckling quietly at the similarity of wearing her husband's robe color. It was six am as she made her way down the long hall to the kitchens. She took a peak inside her husband's room to find him asleep with his current conquest. She felt the tightening of her heart in her chest and quickly (and quietly) made her way to her daughter's room.

Delila was still sound asleep thankfully. She closed the door and continued on to the kitchen. Naomi put the kettle on the stove and proceeded to get the bacon, eggs, chesse, green onions and potatoes from the fridge. She put the frying on the stove to get warmed up as she sliced and diced the vegetables and gave the potatoes a thorough wash. She started breakfast by putting the poatoes on the hot pan with some butter, salt and pepper so they could get crispy on the outside and warm and creamy on the inside.

Naomi got lost in her cooking and the songs from the Disney movie The Beauty and The Beast, her favorite, and kept on with the cooking setting up the table (for two) at the same time. She was almost done with the clean up when she looked up to see her husbands conquest staring at her.

"Oh, good morning ma'am," said the woman with a kind grin.

To Naomi their grins were all the same. Kind smiles would get them what they wanted, Naomi knew that if the girl kept being (or pretending to be) nice Severus would let her go with a lot more than she came in with.

Naomi nodded and continued to clean up. After everything was clean and put away she led the 'conquest' (as she had yet to learn the woman's name) to the dining room motioning to the set next to the head of the table.

The woman gave Naomi an odd look and asked, "Why are there only two settings on the table?"

Naomi gave her a sad quiet chuckle and went to get the tea pot and cups along with the pitcher of pumpkin juice.

"Can I help you with anything?" The woman asked Naomi.

Naomi wanted to laugh at her question. Why did /!she!/ ask? Is Severus hiding somewhere looking to observe if my behavior towards his conquest is appropriate? It wasn't a surprise to her that Severus didn't trust her. What surprised her was that this woman had just asked her if she needs help.

"No, thank you," Naomi answered kindly yet somberly.

The woman looked at her hands that were on her lap and nodded.

They both grew quiet. The silence was deafening to them both and neither knew how to turn it into at least a bearable silence until Severus made his appearance. It was well passed six thirty when Severus made his appearance. The woman straightened where she sat and Naomi exited the dining-room to get the rest of the food.

The skillet of potatoes, eggs, and toast with condiments were soon on the table hot and ready. She walked out of the dining-room and to the kitchen where the kitchen island held her breakfast, some potatoes, eggs and a slice of buttered and jammed toast. Along with a cup of tea and juice. On the other place setting is Delila's favorite cereal milk and juice.

Naomi heaved a sigh of relief knowing that her house elf Mitsy had set everything here while she was setting the dinning-room. She made her way to her daughter's room to get her ready for the day.

"Delila? Delila, time to wake up," she whispered to hole gently shaking her.

"Mmmm," Delila pulled the covers over her head.

Naomi laughed at her daughter's antics and gave the blanket a swift tug.

Delila's hands wandered around her person and grunted at the invading cold, reluctantly getting out of bed and into the bathroom.

It's Friday.

That is not a good or bad thing to Naomi. Her Mondays through Friday were all the same, wake up, shower, brush teeth, occasionally make the bed, make breakfast (for any and everyone in the houseold), wake Delila up, shower, teeth, bed then sit her inher high chair and ulternately feed her as she tried to eat her own breakfast. After both ladies had eaten Mitsy would come and wash the dishes as Naomi took Delila to her last day at Wizarding Primary school before the holiday break.

Delila loved to go to school, despite the early wake up call. She usually comes home looking for someone to share what she had learned that day, it usually is her mother. Severus while not an abusive husband or father, tends to spend most of his time in his lab or at work, when not sleeping around.

As Naomi was about to aparate she saw a man dropping off his daughter. She couldn't have been any older than her Delila. The girl smiled as her father kiss her forehead goodbye and smiled (despite herself) when the girl opened her arms for him to hug her. Naomi held back the sob that was threatening to escape her as she saw the love the man has for his daughter and how her own doesn't even recognize her as such. The man saw her and smiled. Naomi nodded and watched as the little girl ran into the school.

"They grow up fast don't they?" the man asked.

Naomi cleared her through swallowed the sob and gave him her best fake smile.

"Yes they sure do. You have a beautiful daughter sir," she said trying not to cry again.

The man smiled and said, "Thank you. She's the light of my life along with her mother. Have a good day."

"Thanks you too," she answered as she aparated to the front door of Snape Manor.

She took a deep breath and walked in to see her husband and the woman from this morning having what looked to be a tender moment. One of his hand was on her waist the other had one of hers in his, her other hand was on his back. And her face, Naomi noticed was glowing, the girl was in love. Naomi took another deep breath, hung her cloak up and as quietly as she could she walked passed them to her study. She locked, warded and silenced the room and slumped onto the chair that was in front of the desk.

She couldn't hold the pain and despair back in longer. And before she knew it she was screaming into the empty room. This was what she was afraid of...the curling into a ball and crying as the despair of knowing she and her daughter are not loved nor wanted wrapped around her like a blanket. As she cried she imagined herself to be married to a man like the one she met at the school that morning. Nice, handsome, loving...She wishes for someone like that to want her, love her and her daughter and to be able to live the rest of her days in that like a safety blanket. A sort of happily ever after...But happily ever after doesn't exist. She chuckled and for the first time she thought about taking her daughter and leaving. Severus, magic, hell even the Wizarding World in itself even! A knock to the door brought her out of her mind. She quickly cleaned up her tears and magically covered her puffy and blotchy face as much as she could and took town the wards and silencing spell.

"Yes?" She aswered as levelly as she could while opening her computer up to look at her email.

"Naomi?" Came the voice of her husband.

She froze in her seat and said, "Yes Severus, what can I do for you?"

"May I come in?" he said.

"Of corse," she said curious.

Naomi heard the door open and after he had closed the door she turned to find him and the still-nameless woman standing in her study.

_'Now he's going to tell me he is marrying her,'_ Naomi thought bitterly knowing that this was going to be the straw that breaks the hippogriff's back.

"Naomi, this is Charlotte. She is going to be staying with us for a while," he was holding the now named woman (Charlotte) by the waist with this satisfied grin on his face. That was when she noticed it...her belly was bulging a little around her middle, she's pregnant.

She nodded numbly and turned back to my computer.

"And may I be so bold as to say the we'll be needing more than just one room available," he said softly, almost lovingly.

"She's pregnant," Naomi said blankly.

Severus nodded with a happy smile on his face.

"Congratulations, I hope you both the best," she said.

Naomi swallowed her sob and sorrow as she rummaged through one of the many drawers on her desk. Severus' brow furrowed as Naomi brought to view a wrapped item and saw her enlarge it. Naomi took out his birthday present and enlarged it followed by the last letter she had written to him after it was known that he was to marry her.

She turned to him and handed him the letter giving him a hesitant but kind and loving hug saying, "Happy birthday Severus."

She quietly collected her computer, its charger and left to her room to start packing. She entered her room and with a wave of her wand all her clothes were folded and packed into her trunks. She looked at the pictures (most were of her and Delila) on her bureau and with shaky hands picked up their (Severus and Naomi) wedding picture. He didn't want to see it so she kept it in her room as a sign of hope that what is forever frozen in the picture will come true. She took the picture out of the frame grabbed her quill and on the back of the picture she wrote her last letter to him.

She shrunk her belongings and quickly moved to work on her daughter's room. As soon as Delila's clothes and toys were packed and ventured to re-enter her study. She walked into the study to see Severus and Delila looking at the gift she had so lovingly given him. She spelled her bag to become bottomless and to become light weight. She shrunk her books and put them in the bag. The silence is deafening and Naomi was relieved when she walked out of the room. Naomi entered the master bedroom and left the wedding picture on his pillow.

Naomi told Mitsy she was going to be staying with a friend and asked if she would like to go with her or stay in the manor.

"Oh, Mitsy will be going with yous miss," the excited little elf said.

With that Naomi left Snape Manor.

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**A/N: Don't forget to Rate and Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. With finals and projects due my plate has been somewhat ****full. Here's chapter two.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anyone other than Naomi and little Delila.**

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Naomi POV

I shifted a sleeping Delila on my hip and proceeded to knock on the door. Sleep was not my first priority at the moment and neither was it getting me something to eat or drink, it is to get Delila all of those things at least for a couple of days until she found a suitable flat. My job is one of my proudest (second to my daughter) achievements, I get to read, edit and at times publish children's books and on occasion teen and adult books. I get to work from home giving me time to spend with Delila and currently am working on a book myself.

Nina opened the door and must have deduced what happened by the look on my face.

"Come in hun and sit in the kitchen. Here, I'll take Dee into the spare room," she said as she took Delila and her bag up stairs.

I put my robe on the hook and moved towards the kitchen and instead of the customary tea kettle being filled with water Naomi went straight to the liquor cabinet.

"Hello old friend," I said to myself as I got the bottle of Irish whiskey and to tumblers out.

I'm not much of a drinker but...there is always a moment. And this is _definitely _one of those moments.

"Ok, Dee is in bed and asleep, now you tell me what the hell happened that has you looking worse than you normally look?" she asked opening the bottle and pouring some of the amber liquid into one of the cups.

I gave her a sad half grin and said, "Well, his latest conquest...apparently has been the same for sometime now and..." I stopped took a rather large drink from the glass and with a heavy heart said, "...she's pregnant."

Nina spit the amount she was about to swallow.

"She's what!?" she nearly yelled.

I shushed her gently, I don't want Delila to know any of this yet.

"You heard me right Ni don't pretend like you heard otherwise. And _don't you dare_ make me repeat it, please," I said filling her cup again.

"What did you do?" she asked filling the cup with another finger of whiskey.

I sighed and said, "Well, I took a deep breath, gave him his birthday present and..."

"And what?" She asked curiously.

"...my last letter to him," I said finishing off my drink.

Nina's reaction was near comical with how her jaw dropped.

"Why in the name of Merlin would you do such a thing after all he has put you through!? Have you finally lost mind?" She said in a "loud" whisper.

"Ni, I know it looks downright crazy but...something in me needed to give him that letter. I guess it's me subconsciously trying to get some form of closure for the years I have spent sending him the letter. Or maybe it's for all I have gone through? I can honestly say I don't know," I said putting the tumbler in the sink.

"I understand," Nina said as she took my hand in hers.

I gave her a grateful half smile and stood taking the whiskey bottle to put it back in the cabinet.

"I'm going to get ready for bed," I said turning to Nina.

"Alright, rest tonight for tomorrow we go flat picking. _And_ if not then thou can stay as long as you want," I was about to protest and blame her sudden decision on the alcohol but before I could say anything she said, "don't give me that look Naomi you know I love you like a sister hell! We _are_ sisters in everything but blood, not to mention that Dee is like the niece I never had. If you need a place to stay for an extended amount of time I wouldn't mind a roomy," she said with a happy smile.

I laughed and nodded. She's right we are sisters in every way but blood. I was born to a muggle woman and a wizard, mother was hoping that I would be born non-magical, even with the probability of fifty percent and higher that I may inherit my father's magical gift. According to my magical nanny when I started showing signs of magic father was over the moon and stars. He was happy that I was granted the gift of magic. And just because I say that he was happy about me showing magic does not mean that he wouldn't have been happy if I had not had it. He's my dad he would've loved me no matter what. My mother on the other hand was less than thrilled. She as long as I can remember treated me as different as I knew I was, and am. And to this day she doesn't accept the fact that I was born a witch. They tried for a second child and my mother was given a non-magical son, Jonathon. To cut this story short, my mother favors my brother, she (I believe) hates me while my father does his best to be neutral while giving me his (silent) support. I sighed and made a mental note to send a letter to my father before the week's out.

As I made my way down the hall I noticed that the house would need to be engorgiod a few times enough to fit at least three more rooms and two and a half bathrooms. I sighed and walked into the bedroom I would be sharing with Nina and fell on the bed face first. I tried to make what had happened through out the day. I thought I would feel worse than I actually do but surprisingly I don't. And, I can't actually say that I like it. I was expecting endless crying and sobbing and physically hindering emotional pain but I feel nothing.

"So...what else did he do?" Nina said as she walked into the room and sat on the bed.

I shifted my head to look at her and actually considered _not_ telling her.

"Come on...You know you need to vent that residual steam you have zooming around in your head," she said as she lay down next to me.

I nodded and said, "Trust me, her being pregnant is not even the worse part."

"What can be worse than your husband telling you that his lover is pregnant with his love child?" she asked curiously.

I sighed and said, "Well...he said that she was going to be staying with us for a while."

"What!?" Nina yelled.

I nodded silently and stood to make my way to the bathroom for a much needed bath.

"I'll be right back," Nina said after a moment silence.

"Where are you going?" I asked knowing full well where she was going.

"Out, gonna check if my bike still runs," she answered somberly.

As soon as she left I let out a mirthless laugh and continued on preparing the bath.

_"Sure, check if her bike is running, at this time at night. Ha!'_ I thought as I got in to the warm and soapy water.

Now this feels like heaven in a tub. There is nothing better than a relaxing bath after a day in hell.

I stayed in the bath for about an hour until I resembled a raisin then went to bed. I contemplated staying awake to wait for Nina, but realized that if she was going to visit who I think she is...She won't be back well past midday tomorrow. One can only hope she doesn't cause any bodily harm to either Severus and Charlotte. Purely to keep Nina out of Azkaban for as long as is possible.

With that in mind I fell into an uneasy sleep.

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**Note: I will be changing my screen name to Iris_Reid92 thanks for reading =)**


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